Monthly Favourites: November 2010

Hello lovelies :) It's the end of the month yet again and therefore it is time for me to share my favourites for November!

Here's what I've been enjoying for these last four weeks:

From top left:

Earrings ~ I bought these at around the middle of the month and have been really enjoying wearing them.  I love the rose motifs on them and they match a whole load of outfits! Check out my haul post here!

Ultra Glow Shimmer Pot in Icicle ~ I won this from one of the sweepstakes on the R8Beauty Facebook Page and I really had fun experimenting and creating different looks with it. For more pictures and a full review click here.

BYS Mascara ~ my latest mascara which is great for everyday use. Click here for the review.

Technic Palette ~ I've had this palette for aaaaaaaaaaaagggggggggggggeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssss lol but it's only now that I have been reaching for it very often. I especially like the second eyeshadow from the top left.

Since the weather is getting colder, I'm reaching for jackets more often and this is my favourite of them all:

It is a leather jacket from Dorothy Perkins and I bought it last year and still enjoy wearing it like it is the first time each time! Here are a couple of pictures to show you the detailing:

Other things I have been enjoying this November are:

Not wearing foundation! No, not even mineral!  My skin was frequently having good skin days and therefore I could skip foundation and leave it to breathe and therefore enjoy more good skin days! Click here for more tips on how to have clear skin.

A pink and purple glitter mani with some VivaLaNails Dazzlings, BYS Pink Passion nail polish and a no-name glittery polish. I really like how it came out and how long it lasted.  For a tutorial of the mani click here; for a review about the pink nail polish please click here; and for a review on the dazzlings go ahead and click here!

Lastly, I'm really in love with my Nokia 5800 Navigator that my bf gave me for my birthday last October with which I can capture pictures of cuties like these...

The cats all belong to my bf whilst the hedgehog had his life saved by us!

... and special moments like this:

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Top - Ten Tuesdays ~ Eyeshadow shades

Good morning my lovelies :) here are my Top Ten eyeshadows for this week's post.  Most of these don't have a name :( so I will try and describe the colours as best as I can :)

10. Twilight (Estee Lauder palette) ~ a gorgeous light pinky shade perfect to use as a base and as a highlight colour.

9. Violet (Collistar) ~ a particular blue-based shade of purple.

8. Gold (Collistar) ~ the nicest gold eyeshadow I own to date.

7. Double Espresso (CoverGirl Trio Cafe au' Lait) ~ a deep brown shade with a slight metallic hint. Versatile for both day and night.

6. Khaki (Deborah Stories Large Palette) ~ my fovourite green eyesahdow. A perfect alternative to the natural brown smokey eye.

5. Shimmery purple (Deborah Stories Large Palette) ~ a gorgeous dark purple with gold shimmers that sparkle when they catch the light.

4. Emerald Green (Deborah Stories Large Palette) ~ the name says it all... very nice emerald colour, perfect to use for more dramatic night looks.

3. Metallic Teal (Revlon Warm & Toasty Limited Edition Palette, creams) ~ my favourite colour from this whole palette. very pigmented and does not crease!

2. Greige (Technic Palette) ~ my new favourite taupe! A very particular shade, I don't own any other shade similar to it.

1. Icicle (Ultra Glow Shimmer Pot) ~ a very far cry from your usual white! This shade is guaranteed to get you hooked on it. Versatile enough to be used both as an eyeshadow and as a highlight!

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Review: La Roche Posay Effaclar AI Targeted Breakout Corrector

Hello my lovelies :) hope you've all had a nice start to the week so far :) Today, I am going to review another product which I use as part of my struggle to get rid of the occasional zits that choose my face to sit on and develop a life of their own... La Roche Posay Effaclar AI Targeted Breakout Corrector.

I actually bought this product at a time when red, swollen pimples were starting to take over my forehead and cheeks.  I have never suffered from acne or such nasty breakouts like that one before so I was really worried (obviously!) and also, foundation wasn't to blame as I didn't wear any at the time!  Later on, I discovered that the breakout was due to exam stress and now I deal with my exams differently so that I prevent any similar episodes from recurring.  Anyways, my physician recommended me this product.

It comes in a box bearing the same description as the tube but I don't have that anymore.  Here's what the tube looks like (sorry it's a bit battered but I also carry it with me when I have a breakout):

The applicator is like one of those pointy types so that you can control how much product comes out.  I recommend using just a small amount of product because if you use a lot, it will dry and turn to a waxy, white crust... not a good look! Also, to avoid spreading the infection (pimples are infections!), I recommend you squeeze out a tiny amount on your finger (squeaky clean hands!!!) and apply it on the area THT rather than using the applicator to direct the cream on the spot. The texture is creamy enough to be absorbed rapidly on the skin.

I found this treatment really effective in clearing posts in less time and redness is reduced within a day or two, depending how red the pimple is.  Since I got it, I like to use the elf Mineral Blemish Kit and pair it with the cream for a more effective solution.

I would recommend this product but I suggest you consult a professional skin care specialist/dermatologist/doctor before using it so as to make sure it is the right product for you.  This cream retails for €9 for 15ml and can be bought from pharmacies.

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NOTW: Festive Marbeling + Nail Update

Sunday is back here which means tomorrow a new week will start, but it also means, it is time for another NOTW post.  Let me start with the update first... I cut my nails short in an attempt to have them all the same length (too much filing damages nails, so it is best to cut them if you want them short).  I don't think the result is too bad though... see for yourselves:

Now that my nails are all the same length, I opted for a traditional french manicure for this week with marbeling on the ring fingers. Read on to learn how you can re-create the look yourselves!

1.  As usual start with a base coat, then apply one thin coat of a nude pink (L'Oreal Resist & Shine Titanium in 100) over each nail. Make sure the application is streak free.

2. Use a white nail polish to create a French tip on each nail other than the ring fingers.  Leave to dry and apply a clear top coat.

3. Now, it's time to do the marbeling part.  Pick two colours of your choice (I wanted the look to be somewhat festive so I chose elf Cranberry and elf Blush).  Apply another coat of the nude pink on one of the ring fingers and while it is still wet, put random dots of both polishes over the nail.  Take a dotting tool/detailing nail art brush and swirl the colours together in a random pattern to achieve the marbeled effect.  Repeat on the other ring finger and when dry seal with a top coat. That's it you're done!

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Review: Ultra Glow Shimmer Pot in Icicle

A couple of weeks back, I won an Ultra Glow Shimmer Pot in Icicle from the R8Beauty facebook page.  After testing it out, here are my thoughts about it.

It arrived in a basic brown padded envelope and it is so small I only knew it was there once I opened the envelope! Here are some pictures to show you how small (read cute) it is:

Ultra Glow describe it as 'Pure mineral shimmery frosty white with lilac reflecting particles'.  I agree with this description but I have to add a little more details to it.  First of all, the product is very finely milled so, even though the jar is small, you get a lot of product (it bugs me however, that I couldn't find it written anywhere, not on the jar nor on the website, how much you actually get).

The colour goes on very sheer at first but it is very buildable, making it suitable to use as a highlight for a party look for that something extra special as well as an eyeshadow on its own.

What impressed me the most with this product is the iridescent lilac particles which change colour according to how light is reflected on them. Also, I was impressed with how long this lasted both with and without a primer underneath it.  Here are a couple of pictures to show you how I used this Shimmer Pot:

Icicle used as an eyeshadow (left) and highlight (right)

I like to use a blending brush (such as elf professional Blending Eye Brush) when dealing this product as I find it is easier to blend.  I recommend using a small amount (and gradually build up the colour if needed) to avoid fallouts.

Shimmer Pots are available in 18 gorgeous shades from Ultra Glow Shop UK and retail for £4.95 each.

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A Review from The Mr. : Dove Men+Care Deodorants

Hello there lovelies :) I left today's review in the hands of my bf and he decided to review Dove Men+Care Deodorants... well, actually I decided that for him hehe.

Here's how all this came about...

Recently The Mr. bought two of these deodorants to try out something different than his usual ones and after using them for a couple of times, he ranted on and on about how long they lasted, the smell, etc so I told him why not review them on my blog? And he agreed *thumbs up for him*!!!!! I'm sure your better  halves or other men in your life will find this useful! Please read on for the Mr.'s views...

The range of Dove Men+Care deodorants consists of three different scents which come in cans of 150ml like the ones in the photo opposite. 

In order of preference, these are: Cool Fresh (green), Clean Comfort (blue) & Energizing Spice (orange).  Cool Fresh smells... fresh! and clean and Clean Comfort follows suit.  On the other hand, Energizing Spice smells quite zesty, spicy and citrusy.

The caps of these deodorants are a bit particular.  They come with like a safety-lock which is good especially if you have small children.  Instructions are provided on the back of each can.

I am really impressed with how long these do last, so I affirmatively say that they do what it says on the bottle... 24 hour protection! At the end of the day, they smell as good as if they have just been sprayed and another good thing about them is that they don't stain clothes.  However, since these are anti-perspirants, if applied very close to the skin, they will come out as a powder but in any case, no staining occurred.

To sum up, I would recommend these deodorants to all your guys!

Prices vary from one store to the other but I purchased these for around €3 each from a local supermarket. 

Johan (aka The Mr./The bf)

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Review: Florelle Nail Treatments

I had reviewed the other Florelle nail polishes a while back (check it out here) and today, I will be reviewing the nail treatments I have from this brand.  I actually have tried three in all (I think there are one or two more in the range) but I only have two available as I managed to smash my Nail Strengthener to pieces and when I went to buy a replacement, there wasn't any available.  So, instead I got the Base for Brittle & Damaged Nails.  Anyways, on to the review.

This is what they look like:

Very basic packaging there.  Although the base has a pink colour (nail strengthener is a light green), they come out as clear polishes.  What impresses me the most about these polishes is how long they last.  The bases, even when worn alone, last me for more than a week and the top coat offers an excellent glossy finish and preserves a manicure for a maximum of two weeks!!

The consistency of these 'polishes' is somewhere between watery and thick but it is very easy to work with and to top it off, the brush provides a streak-free and mess-free application each time.

I have noticed that my nails have grown stronger on using the bases instead of the other base coat I used previously and so are definitely worth the money... not that they cost much! They retail at around €3.40 (strengthener costs a bit more) for 12ml and can be found at drugstores and supermarkets.  

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Happy 3rd Birthday e.l.f cosmetics UK

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear elfies, happy birthday to you!!

E.l.f. Cosmetics UK are celebrating their 3rd birthday with a fantastic offer you just cannot miss! They are offering FREE SHIPPING + A FREE EYESHADOW PALETTE (worth £3.50). I just made my order...go on, you know you want to! Use the codes below to avail yourselves of the offer:

click here to be directed to the elf website...

Happy shopping & Happy birthday again to the elfies :)

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The Body Shop Christmas Look, acrylic paints & body lotion samples

Hello you guys! I have some interesting things to share with you tonight...

First up, The Body Shop Christmas Look.  Dad got a Body Shop catalogue with a local newspaper and in it, apart from gift ideas, there is the proposed Christmas look for this year:

My bf picked up a set of 24 acrylic paints for me to use on my nails.  I will do some tutorials with them can't wait to have a play! They all look gorgeous and the best thing about them is they cost only €4.99!!

Lastly, Mum picked up some samples of Nivea my effect Firming Body Lotion.  Will give it a try and see if it works (it promises to deliver results in 2 weeks)...look out for the review!

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